The Ancient Roots of Humor: How Great Apes Reveal the Origins of Teasing

A Shared Sense of Humor

Picture this: a young orangutan offers a piece of bark to her mother, only to pull it back at the last moment. Her mother, not to be outdone, picks up the bark and repeats the trick, flipping the game into a reciprocal exchange. This playful interaction might not seem groundbreaking, but it echoes behaviors seen in human toddlers—and it raises profound …